Serenity's Hazard of Hearts
by stargazerin
Summary: Princess Serenity finds herself on Earth after the Moon Kingdom has been destroyed, surviving in disguise with the name of Serena in a strange family. Rated M for some stuff that might be too much for T? (Actually not sure.)
1. An anxious Feeling

_AN: I had this idea coming when I realised that in "A Hazard of Hearts" the main character was called Serena and in the american version of "SM" Usagi is being translated with Serena. And from there on it just flowed. I kind of like Jane Austen as well and when I was at a loss for names I might have nicked on or the other character from her._

_This whole project was merely meant to practise my writing in English._

_Reviews welcome (they might keep me going :-p )_

_Happy reading._

_**Serenity's Hazard of Hearts**_

_**An anxious feeling**_

Anxiously, Serena awaited her dad coming back.

He was out for the night, leaving her and her family alone.

"I need to get some more money", he said. She knew what that meant.

Gambling. He would always gamble as if it was his life's purpose.

Why would he not cherish the life he had? Usagi often wondered.

Here she was, 14 years of age with a dad who had a lovely wife and two - in her eyes - wonderful children. Granted, sometimes she wondered if her little baby brother Shingo really was all that lovely. But then again, despite all the trouble he made, she loved him to bits. And her mom, she didn't even want to start with. She was love in person. She would make everyone feel at home and welcome. She would care for every single person in the world if she had the means for it. Sadly though, she didn't have the means. While her heart was as big as the universe, her wallet was as small as a mustard seed. In fact, sometimes it wasn't her wallet anymore at all, because her dad would steal it away in the middle of the night to hurry out on another important mission of gambling away their last penny.

Little did she know that this night was even worse than any other night. There was a certain anxiety in the air. She could feel it. And it was not the anxiety she would feel when she was afraid someone had discovered her well kept little secret.

If anyone would have known who she really was, they would have either been scared to death or she could be burned alive, misjudged as a witch even. As long as her secret was safe, she was safe. The secret of her identity, who she really was, a princess from another world.

Mind you, her teachers would not have had the slightest problem testifying that by all means there could not possibly be a princess as clumsy and lazy as she was. For a princess must know how to sew, how to dance, how to play piano, how to write diplomatic letters, how to read with an air of royalty and even more so: a princess has to be the daughter of royal blood. And surely, her dad was a lot of things, but not royal blood.

Her dad was known to be a poor gambler, one that could never say no to a challenge, even if it was crystal clear from the very beginning, that he would never in a million years win. What was more important: he was not her real dad. But he must never find out. No one must ever find out. If she would have to say, her dad was not her real dad, she would have to say also that her mother and little brother weren't her family by blood.

Her real mother was dead. Killed in an attack that destroyed her whole kingdom. A kingdom full of love, magic, friendship, wisdom and power. Oh, how her mother was the wisest person she had ever met. But these were times past. As far as she knew there were no survivors but her. She had lost track of her guardians and her advisers.

She did, however, find her mom before she was killed. The last act of her mother was to hand her, Princess Serenity, the silver crystal to protect herself.

When she saw everything around her dead and bombed to ruins she used all the power of the crystal she could muster to teleport to Earth and to implant memories of her into her new family and the surrounding area so she could blend in. She still didn't know who attacked and destroyed her kingdom, but she knew enough of the world to understand that she would be in danger if ever anyone found out she was alive.

Despite that, if anyone from the Moon Kingdom would have seen her, they still would have recognised these sparkling blue eyes and the silver golden hair that almost glowed, especially in the moonlight. Though she hid her forehead's crescent moon, she still kept the air of royal authority with her when she remembered who she really was.

And this night, she remembered. This anxious feeling, that something terrible was going to happen was still lingering all around her. Wherever she went, wherever she looked, she expected something terrible. It felt like the night before the attack. Something was going to happen that would change her life.

Something was threatening her home.

So why could her dad not just come back? Why could he not end her agony and come back with the bad news, however bad it was?

Serena looked out of her windows and gazed into the sky. It was a beautiful night sky, the moon shining brightly above her. Again, her thoughts drifted back to her lost past … and that is how she finally fell asleep, dreaming of moon unicorns, moon roses, night dances, her friends and guardians and her most beloved advisor, Luna.

The next morning came with a glorious sunrise and with that a wonderful breakfast made by her mother. But during that breakfast also came a very out of breath cousin, Motoki.

He burst through the door, not even bothering to take off his coat or shoes. "Serena, I need to talk to you! And then I need to talk to you all! Quickly!"

He seemed desperate, really in a hurry, yet frightened.

She led him upstairs into her room. Hastily he put his things down and remembered his manners. He gave her his usual big cousin hug, although she felt that his hug was more fierce and somehow stronger than before.

She hated when people wouldn't just tell her what was wrong.

"Motoki!" she begged, "Just tell me what is wrong! Will you now?"

"Serena, you have to marry me instantly. I already organised a priest who would be willing to serve and we can get married at a little chapel just outside London."

"What?" What was wrong with him? If Serena expected bad news, she most certainly didn't expect this. Not that it was an unwelcome proposal, but it wasn't the end of the world. Was that really all?

"Motoki!" she began using an air of royal authority with her. "We are very close and I do like you very much, but marriage is more than just liking each other. And I do not understand the haste you make. That leads me to the conclusion that something else is amiss. Will you please tell me what on earth is going on?" There, she made her little speech, trying to sound very serious and using a tone that would leave no room for talking around the subject.

"Serena, oh, how do I tell you? Dreadful news!"

"Motoki, just tell me, starting at the very beginning." She was almost there. Just a few more seconds, and she would discover the reason for her anxiety yesterday evening.

"Serena, it's your father." Motoki stopped, becoming sad and angry at the same time. "He… he… your father is dead."

"He what?" Serena saw the world crumble around her, again. Her father was dead? "What do you mean, dead? What happened?"

And so Motoki could do nothing else, but tell her the whole story.

"Yesterday night, he went to the Crown and met in the gambling room with others of his kind. But he didn't have much money with him and no one would lend him anything. And then a stranger came in. His name was Diamond and he offered him to gamble his house against an equivalent huge sum of money. Your dad accepted."

Serena stopped breathing. Diamond. What a coincidence. A funny name for a person living in London. But wait, her father gambled away the house?

Motoki went on, "Of course you know already that your father would lose. We all know he is an impatient and terrible gambler and that is why everyone took advantage of him."

"So, you are telling me now, that we have to leave our home because he gambled away the house?"

"No, worse, Serena."  
Really, what could be worse?

"After he lost, this gentleman Diamond asked him who would live in the house, disguising his enquiries as concern for the wellbeing of the people living here. When your father mentioned you, this gentleman became interested and offered him an incredible deal. He offered him your hand in marriage for a chance to win back everything else he lost that night. And he accepted."

Serena stopped breathing again. "He what?" She couldn't believe it. "Oh my goodness! Motoki, are you serious? He gambled me off to a stranger?" She really couldn't believe it. It took a few seconds for her to process what she had just heard.

"I'm a human being" Well, she thought, as far as everyone else is concerned… "I can't just be gambled away! I will not marry a complete stranger!"

Boy, she was angry! How could her father have done this? He was supposed to look after her!

Motoki interrupted her. "Serena, that's not the worst."

Serena was struck with dread. "Not the worst? It gets worse?"

"Yes", Motoki confessed, "This gentleman Diamond seemed a nice enough man, considering he was giving your father a chance to win everything back. But after he won you, someone else interrupted them. It was Lord Endymion."

"Oh no, this is getting worse and worse." This was the point where Serena became really worried. Lord Endymion was known for being ruthless, emotionless and normally he got what he wanted. He didn't care for the cost and his wealth was incredible. He lived in a big estate with his mother by the sea a few hours south of London. His father died some years ago of a heart attack and he inherited everything. While his father was said to be a gentle and loving character, his son was said to know the ways of a gentleman only to make women fall in love with him. There were many women who fancy themselves important enough to be a match for him, but as soon as he had them falling for him, he would dismiss them. It was said that he is not a man of many words, and when words leave his mouth they were rarely nice. It was even said that he was more a man of fists than a man of his word.

"Serena, Lord Endymion challenged Diamond. He didn't want to in the beginning, but was advised by various people that he should never decline an offer from Lord Endymion. He felt pressured and accepted the offer. And you know Lord Endymions luck. He won. He won your hand and the house with everything that is in it. Your father left the room in a frenzy and I stayed behind to see what Lord Endymion's plan was. The next thing we heard was a gunshot. Your father shot himself because he could not bear the shame he had brought over you."

"My mother and Shingo." Serena had tears in her eyes. Yes, she was in a mess, but her little innocent brother and her wonderful mother as well? She wanted them to be safe!

"No, Serena. They are still free to do whatever, but they will lose their home. This is, Serena, why I want you to marry me. It will save you, your mother and Shingo!"

"Motoki!" Serena began. "Your act is an act of true selflessness. But I do know that there is a woman called Reika you fancy. And our marriage would be a sad one, for both of us, if we were to marry out of desperation."

Serena's heart broke. She knew it would make life more bearable for her to marry Motoki instead of a stranger. But this would eventually lead to a deep depression for Motoki, having to spend the rest of his life away from the person he really loved without having had a chance to court her.

"Serena, don't you see? You will be ruined and become a slave to Lord Endymion if we don't marry. And Reika has only eyes for Lord Endymion. She never looks at me twice."

"Still Motoki, you don't love me as a man should love a woman. And neither do I love you that way."

Serena was right. They were friends but nothing more. And she would not destroy another one's life just to ease her own. She already has seen too many lives destroyed.

She needed some time alone. So she sent Motoki back downstairs, telling him she would follow soon.

_Revised: 2020-08-01_


	2. First Meeting

_**First Meeting**_

Being left alone in her room, she took a deep breath and remembered her real mother.

She would have known what to do. "Oh mother, I would need you now!"

And that was when she recalled her mother saying to her, "Darling Serena, remember this always: whatever happens, you are my daughter and as your mother I will always be with you, wherever you are! I will never be far away from you." That was when her mother had to leave the palace for a visit to a poor area on the moon and Serena was very upset that she would be away from her mother.

But she was right, she was always with her in her heart.

In her mind, she could almost hear her mother's voice speaking to her, saying "Serena Darling, stay strong. You will find your way. Just remember to be kind and loving and to give everyone a chance in life."

Yes, that is what she would do. She would not become afraid of all the gossip about Lord Endymion. She would give him a chance. To her, he still was a stranger. She has never met him before.

And as a stranger, she will meet him.

After Motoki broke the news to the rest of the family, everyone was in anguish.

They got closer together, trying to comfort each other, but yet everyone was worried.

Shingo was worried about having to leave all his toys. As a boy of the tender age of six he wouldn't really understand what was going on.

Ikuko was worried about her beautiful daughter being married off to a ruthless and reckless, even brutal person.

Serena on the other hand was worried about the fact that her brother and mother would lose their home. Where would they stay? What would become of them? She had to somehow persuade Lord Endymion to let them stay there - at least for the time being.

Serena tried to fool herself saying "Maybe he has already forgotten about the whole thing."

She didn't dare to believe this. But it helped to ease the mind of her mother, as she really did hope that Lord Endymion might have more pressured matters at hand than to claim his price.

And so the days passed. Serena still felt that anxiety lingering around, though not as strong as it was before. She wondered if it was related to something else.

But there were others she was worried about as well: their household staff.

Though they hadn't really paid them anything lately due to lack of money, they still loved to live with them and keep on doing their chores nonetheless. Serena wondered if it gave them some sort of purpose in their life?

There was Naru, her dear friend who helped her and Shingo with little things in daily life. Combing hair, dressing, carrying things around… Naru loved to refer to herself as Serena's handmaid. But really, Serena didn't like the thought of it. Especially since they couldn't give her more than food and a place to sleep these last few months.

And then there was "grandpa". It was a shocking revelation to Serena, but she actually didn't know his real name. Everyone, even he himself, always referred to him as "grandpa". Of course he was well ahead of all their ages and should have retired years ago. But he seemed to just like it there, so he kept doing what he was doing his whole life - looking after the house, making sure that the important parts were maintained.

What would become of them?

Then, one fateful evening, there was a knock on the door and shortly after she heard voices. Lots of male voices.

Naru burst into her room, staggering, "Serena, they are here. Lord Endymion and his party."

So it was time. She had to face the person who was partly responsible for her father's death. More so, was partly responsible for yet another big threat in her life.

Would she ever be able to just live normally? Or was she bound to lead a strange and troubled life? How things had changed for her already. Yet, here she was, getting dressed to face yet another dramatic change in her life.

Naru was left speechless at the ease with which Serena dressed herself, how she even made an effort to look nice. Calmly she heard herself saying to her, "Naru, don't worry, there is nothing in the world that matters more than being kind and loving to the people you meet. Everyone deserves a chance."

With that said, Serena left the room and made her way downstairs. She could hear her mother's voice tremble. And then there was Shingo's voice, curious and yet afraid. And there were a few strange men's voices amidst the one known voice of "grandpa".

When she glided down the stairs, she decided to not stumble or be clumsy. No, she would face Lord Endymion with the air of Princess Serenity around her.

She wanted him to know that she is not a play doll, not one of these women without standard who would do anything to have him. She wanted him to meet her as an equal. A hard task in a world where women were dependent on their fathers or husbands.

But she wanted him to see that she would not cause him any trouble and that she would face this situation as a grown up woman despite her tender age of fourteen.

Coming in sight of Lord Endymion, he held his breath for what he saw. His friends had mocked him for how she must look if her father gambled her away with probably no man wanting her. They mocked him with her maybe even being already too old to marry. He could say that they enjoyed ridiculing his situation.

But none of them, not even Lord Endymion himself had expected to see such beauty coming down the stairs with an air of authority and royalty around her that they had never seen before.

Yet she could not hide her age and it clearly struck Lord Endymion that she was still underage.

Serena on the other hand had to catch herself, for she suddenly understood why so many women wanted him despite his reputation. His looks were amazing. He even lived up to the standards of the most handsome men on the moon.

"My Lord", she greeted him before going over to her mother and brother.

"Good evening Ladies", he paused and peeked at Serena's little brother, "and gentlemen".

'Did he just for a fraction of a second grin at my little Shingo?' Serena wondered.

"May I introduce ourselves. As you might have guessed, I am Lord Endymion and these are my friends, Kunzite, Zoicite, Nephrite and Jadeite."

"May we offer you a drink, kind Sir?" Serena's mother tried to be nice and lovely, as always, to literally everyone, even her aggressor.

But to Serena's surprise he declined. "I am deeply sorry. I did not plan on staying for longer than needed. I merely wanted to look at my prize since my friends here pressed for the matter to be dealt with. Since we were in the area we decided to have a look at the house."

His voice was indeed dead serious and emotionless, if not even a little cold.

He concluded, "I can see the house has seen better times. To be honest, on first sight it does not even appear to me worth renovating. It certainly will cost a lot to maintain."

Turning to the family he asked, "And if I may enquire, how old are you, fair lady?"

'He surely knows how to address a woman' Serena thought as he spoke to her mother. Flattered to be addressed so nicely, her mother answered, "I'm in my forties, my Lord. My daughter Serena is not yet fifteen and Shingo here turned six a few months ago."

When she told him their ages, she was clearly very proud to announce that Serena was soon to be fifteen.

"Not yet fifteen, you say?" Lord Endymion turned to Serena, his eyebrows wrinkled.

"Yes, sir, not yet fifteen. I will be turning fifteen at the end of June."

This was getting a bit harder for Serena for she was not prepared to talk about her age with him. She almost would have asked how old he was, but knew better than to prolong the inevitable question.

"My Lord, may I ask you for your plans with your prizes?" She purposely used plural as she not only wanted to know what he had in mind for the house, but for her and her family as well.

"Down to business; I like that." he answered. Was it there again? This little second of a tiny smile on his face? It was gone too quickly for her to really make anything of it.

"I have to admit, I had no plans, really. But coming here reveals some facts unknown to me, such as your age and the state of the house. Since your mother is now a widow - and I am deeply sorry about your father's death - she will have no means to maintain the house or secure a living. I on the other hand am not prepared to invest in an almost ruined estate. Your brother is too young to work. I will send him to school in London and we will see what becomes of him. As for your mother, I am sure a relative of hers will take her in. The house, I hope to be able to sell as soon as possible for as much as possible so it will pay for your brother's education."

Lord Endymion was aware that he did not say a word about his plans for Serena, for he was not sure what to do. The fact that she was only fourteen changed everything.

He could have sent her off to work somewhere if she was older.

He might have gambled for her hand, but that did not mean that he would have to marry her. All that meant was that he would have to care for her. She could be a kitchen maid. Or she could become the hand maid of his future bride, if he ever would indeed marry.

But fourteen! He could not send her away at the age of fourteen. For boys, they had school. But for girls? Girls normally would be raised by their nurse. Which made him wonder if she did have a nurse?

"My Lord," Serena interrupted his thoughts, "what are your plans concerning me?"

He didn't have any anymore.

"You? You, I will send you to my home where you will live for the time being with me and my mother." That was it. Not exactly what he had in mind before he came here, but he learned to be flexible with decisions. And normally it served him well. Adjust your decisions to the situation.

"May I bring my maid Naru, please?" It shot out of Serena's mouth before she could wonder if anyone would be okay with her claiming Naru as her maid.

But she suddenly felt afraid at being all alone again.

And she knew she couldn't use the crystal's power right now. Last time was different. She used it in the midst of the war so she had remained undetected. But if she would use her power now, she would be found.

Lord Endymion tilted his head a little as if to think about it, "Naturally. It may make your arrival a little less strange for you." He emphasized the word strange which sent chills down Serena's spine.

But she was happy that Naru could come along with her. A quick look to Naru showed that she was just as happy.

"A carriage will wait for you in the morning. Please be ready. My mother likes people to be on time. Instructions for your brother and the rest of the house will follow later."

With that, Lord Endymion waited a second to see if there were any more questions and then he concluded the meeting, "Good, if everything is settled now, I will leave you to it and bid all of you a good night."

He bowed and then left the house with his party, leaving behind a very distraught Ikuko, a slightly excited Shingo and a worried Serena.

At least Shingo would benefit from all of it.

_Revised: 2020-08-01_


	3. Arriving

_**Arriving**_

The night passed with Serena getting little sleep due to cherishing the last few hours with her mother and brother, and packing her belongings.

Lord Endymion was true to his word and the carriage awaited Serena right on time at 8am in the morning.

The ride was a little bumpy, but she was relieved to have the comfort of her "maid" Naru.

"Serena, we will find a way out of this." She tried to comfort her.

But Serena had other thoughts in mind. How tempting it was to just use the silver crystal and how very much she had to restrain herself from doing it.

"Serena," Naru began again, "you always have your ways with people, just like your mother. I'm pretty sure, somehow it will work out okay for you."

But who was she to fool? Serena well knew that this might end badly for her, in many ways. She had no idea of the life she was to begin now, and she might well lose all control and use the power of the silver crystal to escape.

When Naru saw that Serena didn't react she decided to get some more of that sleep she didn't get last night.

Serena on the other hand just watched the world pass by, lost in her thoughts, once again in memories of her beloved home on the moon. She still wondered who attacked her kingdom. But she still hadn't any clue and had no idea where to start looking.

Arriving at Lord Endymion's Estate, called Pamperley, she had to admit, the weather was much nicer and warmer than in London. She loved the blue sky and the sun shining on her skin.

The first thing she noticed was a hand helping her to get out of her carriage. Despite what was said of Lord Endymion, she had to admit that he seemed to be a thoughtful man.

There was also someone waiting to carry her and Naru's belongings inside. Slowly and silently they followed.

Inside they were greeted by Lord Endymion's mother, Caroline. But unlike Lord Endymion, she made a terrible first impression. There was no enquiry of her welfare, no kind word of welcome.

"Miss Serena I assume. I have been informed of your arrival by a very strange letter of my son. He surely will have to explain things to me." Her voice became more stern and her look became darker.

"For the time being you will have your room in the tower."

As if to make it sound nice, she added, "The view of the sea from there is wonderful."

Her tone did not really make her more believable. But Serena was happy anyway. At the moment, she just wanted to arrive and have some time for herself. She had to admit that everything had become a bit too much for her and she felt she was close to a breakdown.

Silently she followed the staff upstairs and then down the corridors through a small passageway. There she needed to open a door that led to another staircase which eventually led her to her room at the top of the tower.

The room itself was beautiful indeed. Well, if you would have been able to leave after five minutes and didn't have to sleep in it. To make it her home she would have to use some very human magic.

And that is what she and Naru did: they dedusted everything and tried to clean the chimney as best as possible. After a couple of hours they had turned the room into a homely little room that just lacked some warmth.

"I will take care of that, Serena. You have a rest." Naru really cared for her. She was aware of the sacrifice Serena made for everyone. Even more she was aware of Serena caring for her and bringing her along. Naru dreaded to think of what might have become of her if she would have suddenly been abandoned on the street.

When Naru was gone Serena stepped up to the window and for the first time since her arrival she really enjoyed the view. Caroline was right, the view onto the sea was breathtaking.

'But I bet she doesn't really mind.' Serena could feel the coldness radiating from her and understood that she tried to make the room sound nice when it was actually not fit for any guest.

But Serena didn't mind. 'As long as I will have plenty of wood.' There is nothing worse for Serena than the cold. Her worst enemy, you could say.

When Naru came back, she did not come back empty handed. To Serena's delight she brought some food with her.

"Naru!" Serena exclaimed. "You are a star!"

"Oh, Serena, I know how starving you must be!" joked Naru. She knew of Serena's appetite. And she knew that Serena might not be too comfortable eating amidst strangers.

"Where did you get the food from, Naru?" Serena really was impressed. How did Naru know where to go already?

"Oh, you know me. I always find my way around. And well, you see, the chef is really helpful. Umino is his name. When I entered the kitchen at first he wanted to throw me out. But when he really looked and saw me, he remembered having a glimpse at me when we arrived. Sooo … I told him our needs and he proved to be very helpful. He gave me this food and said he would take care of the wood as well."

'Wow, she amazes me every day again.' Serena thought. "Naru, you are the best! Have I told you that already?"

Back to her cheery self, Naru enjoyed bouncing around with Serena. She could find joy in the smallest things in the universe.

And not too long after, a knock on the door was followed by a young boy carrying some wood into the room. From then on, they never lacked wood or warmth nor food for Umino would make sure that their need for food and wood would always be met.

Little did Serena understand immediately that his care was more because of Naru than because he was a particularly nice person. In her heart she was happy for Naru to find some joy for herself in this strange and cold place.

Dinner was served at 6pm on the dot. There weren't many people there. In fact, it was just her and Caroline eating. Naru was not allowed to eat with them since she was only a maid. So she had to eat later when everyone else was finished.

The meal itself was lovely. The company though seemed not to be so lovely. Caroline even made a point of not talking at all to Serena.

"Until I have spoken to my son I do not wish to engage in any further conversation." she had said.

'Fair enough' Serena thought. After all, that would save her having to play happy go lucky, when on the inside she felt like trembling and falling down. Though she was determined to break through the ice of that cold woman, today would not be that day.

First she needed to sort out her own thoughts.

The next morning came and breakfast came and went. And since Lord Endymion was not here and his mother would not talk to her, she was free to roam about.

Naru told her that she would use the time to try and get more information from the staff and befriend them. They could after all be of help in the future.

Serena on the other hand wondered where all these little passageways she was seeing would lead to. Of course she started with the nearest one - the one in her room.

There was a little door, almost blending into the wall, that must lead somewhere. To her astonishment, it was unlocked. But she could have sworn it was locked the night before?

Slowly she walked down the stairs. It was an old winding staircase and at the bottom it led straight ahead to what seemed to be the outside door. And again, that door was unlocked.

Curiously she opened it and was greeted instantly with wonderful green grass and a forest beginning about a mile away. To the right were the cliffs and to the left more grass, but that view was eventually stopped by an extension of the estate. She could see that it was built at a different time then the tower.

Amazed about what she found, she took a step outside and suddenly felt free. There was no one around and she could just roam about.

She ran down the field toward the forest and still couldn't believe what she had found. She loved trees. But even more she loved the sea. She hadn't seen much of it. But she remembered it on the moon. They had a very big sea close to the palace, the Mare Serenitatis. She always felt attracted by it, maybe because they shared the name?

After her excitement had died down a bit, she took a stroll along the cliff edge. It was quite windy and she really had to stay a few meters away to make sure that in all her clumsiness she would not just fall off. After all, she had never learned how to swim on Earth. On the moon she would just float, but surely here she wouldn't?

So Serena just stood there, gazing out at the sea, not realising time passing by. But also not realising how she became more and more sad.

Sad about her lost kingdom. Sad about her mother's death. She missed her home. She missed her people. She missed her friends. She missed Luna, her advisor. She missed everything. And mostly she missed the comforting hug and advice of her dear mother.

When the first tear made its way down her cheek, she thought it was the wind making her eyes watery. Only when she realised the sparkle in the corner of her eyes coming from the tear, did she realise that she had really cried.

That was a major problem.

When she would cry with her heart longing for home, she would cry moon tears. They would not just give her away because they sparkle, but also because they radiate the magic of the silver crystal.

Panicking about her tears she wiped them away and tried to stop crying. But the more she tried to stop, the more they came, the more she began sobbing. It started to rain and with the rain getting heavier, she became more desperate. Desperate for her home.

At one point she couldn't contain her anguish anymore. She cried out to her mother, asking her where she was. But for the first time, her heart stayed silent. There was no response, no memory.

Serena broke down there and then, partly in anguish and partly in anger. How could everything have become such a mess? She was the last of her kind, truly alone.

"You are not alone, I will stay with you if you like." came a voice from beside her.

She turned around ready to tell off whoever was there, to find a pair of cute little dog eyes staring at her.

"You are a dog." Serena stated. 'I am talking to a dog!'

"Yes, and I am happy that finally someone is responding to me. I try and tell people the whole time, but they never react. Why do you react?" the dog asked her curiously.

And then it clicked in her head. It was the magic of the silver crystal. She released part of the magic and that broke the barrier, so she and the dog were connected through the crystal. The crystal translated the dog's words into words she understood and vice versa.

That was when she realised she had to contain the crystal's power. It was getting too strong and that would give her away if anyone would look for a release of the magic. It ultimately would endanger her and everyone around her.

"Yes, I understand you, but that has to stay our secret, okay?" Serena said sternly.

"Certainly." the dog answered, well mannered.

"So what is your name, kind dog?" Serena asked playfully.

"Everyone calls me Knightley, but I would prefer Mr. Knightley." the dog said proudly.

"Pleased to meet you Mr. Knightley. I'm Serena." Serena held her hand out to shake a paw and Mr. Knightley obliged happily.

Somehow that encounter did make Serena feel a little less lonely. She found a friend, a dog named Mr. Knightley.

Time passed as they were sitting at the cliff, chatting away. Serena was telling him how she ended up in Pemberley estate. And Mr. Knightley would tell her how sad he is, that his master is gone so often.

Eventually they heard someone shouting from afar, "Knightley! Knightley, where are you?"

"I think someone is searching for you." Serena poked the dog's little nose which he obviously didn't like but he let her do it anyway.

"Yes, it is my master." Mr. Knightley told her.

"Don't you want to go and meet him?" Serena wondered.

But Mr. Knightley made no effort at all. "No, he left me alone way too long! He shall search me and find me and until then he shall not have my comfort!"

"Are you upset?" Serena laughed. She never thought of a dog being upset about his master being away.

"Yes, and so would you if your master would just leave you alone for no reason for days and sometimes weeks!" Mr. Knightley defiantly spat back.

"Awww, don't be angry! I didn't mean it that way. I just never thought about it from the eyes of a dog." Serena tried to explain her way out.

"Knightley! There you are!" Lord Endymion's voice broke through, clearly much closer now than before. In fact, too close for Serena to keep having a conversation with Mr. Knightley.

"Lord Endymion." she acknowledged him.

"Miss Serena." he acknowledged her, with an awkward silence following.

Mr. Knightley wondered, "Why are you not talking to him? Are you upset with him as well?"

To Lord Endymion, it just sounded like a woof. Serena on the other hand had to suppress an answer and left it at a chuckle.

Lord Endymion got a bit irritated, "What is so funny?"

"Nothing", Serena smiled back at him, "just the fact you got my house and in return I got your dog."

"Considering the value of my dog, I have lost a great deal" he joked back. Indeed, he loved his dog to bits. He was a gift from his father.

"Miss Serena, I will join you and my mother for dinner tonight. I assume she has shown you around and you know to be on time for 6pm?"

"She indeed has made me aware of being on time, my Lord." Serena turned to the dog, holding out her hand to shake his paw. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Knightley."

To Lord Endymion's amazement, he heard the dog barking back at her whilst shaking his paw. But to Serena's ears it was a "My pleasure".

Only after that did the dog jump to Lord Endymion to give him a sloppy doggy kiss on his cheeks.

As she watched Lord Endymion and Mr. Knightley walk away, she pondered what just happened. That was definitely a smile on his face and he definitely joked back. And the way he dealt with Mr. Knightley she thought was lovely.

But there was something else that bound her thoughts. It was an air of magic around him. Hardly visible and very faint, yet it was there. In a way it made her more alert. Should he be the enemy?

On her way back she passed a side door, hardly visible, blending in perfectly with the wall.

'That's odd.' she thought to herself. 'This house is full of odd doors.' But she decided that this will be for another time as she was getting cold and she desperately needed to warm up and change.

The idea of sitting in front of a nice chimney fire was simply tempting her too much.

_Revised: 2020-08-01_


	4. Hidden Doors

_**Hidden doors**_

Evening came and so came dinner. That is when she realised that she had not brought enough dresses with her. She was equipped for riding, for running about in the mud, for a casual dinner. But for a high society dinner?

When she packed, she did not think about the fact that with Lord Endymion, she would be much more exposed to high society and therefore expected to dress appropriately. So, for now the dress she wore the day before had to make do.

Unfortunately, lingering about the dress made her slightly late.

"Miss Serena!" she was greeted with an angry, stern voice. "You are late!"

A quick peek at the clock on the wall showed she was only late by 2 minutes.

"Sorry." she uttered, trying to make it sound like she really was sorry, when in her heart she dismissed the 2 minutes. Punctuality was never one of her strengths.

"Mother!" Lord Endymion chided, much to Serena's surprise, "Give her a break. It's only been 2 minutes and she still needs to get used to the big house. It is easy to get lost, you know."

Serena was amazed. Did he just help her out here? If anything she expected him to go along with his mother! She mouthed a little Thank You and gave him a big smile as she sat down. Nodding his head slightly, he instantly fell back into his emotionless statute.

"My dear Endymion, we did not yet have the time to talk about recent events." his mother started with a sly smile on her lips.

Lord Endymion replied, "No, mother, we did not. I just returned a few hours ago and needed to freshen up before dinner."

"Then let's talk now." Get down to business, that was clear in her voice. "Why is this girl here?" pointing her finger at Serena.

Serena felt a bit awkward being spoken about whilst being in the room. And why did she not just ask herself? She decided to show that she was old enough to speak for herself. "Madam, if I may. I can answer that question for myself. Your son has won me in a bet and claimed his prize."

"Yes yes, of course. I know." said Caroline, not really giving her any attention. "But what I want to know, Endymion, is: why is she HERE?"

This time Serena decided to stay silent and just to enjoy her food. There was a bright side. If they would talk about her now, she could eat without any interruption. Sadly, she couldn't turn off the voices and therefore heard every spoken word.

"Mother, as you can see, Miss Serena is still underage. This makes it my legal obligation to look after her and her belongings. As you might know, her father is dead, so he can't support the family or run the house anymore. Her little brother is too young to look after the family. While her mother can look after herself living at a relative's house, I have decided that I can best look after her if she lives here with us."

There he paused to see if there was any reaction. When there was none, neither from Serena nor from his mother, he went on in a very stiff voice "Does that satisfy your curiosity, mother?"

"Yes, it does." but her tone gave away, that she was not amused.

"Then I expect you to treat Miss Serena as a guest." Lord Endymion knew his mother. She would give her a hard time.

Though at the moment he didn't really care because he had other problems at hand, he still wanted Serena to be comfortable whilst staying with them.

The rest of the dinner went by silently. No one made an effort to talk. And it was Lord Endymion who left first, being greeted by an excited Mr. Knightley outside the room.

The next few days went by in the same way. There was breakfast, lunch and dinner. Serena dressed more and more casually for dinner which Caroline got more and more upset about.

"We have to do something about your clothing,'' she said one day.

Serena thought she just wanted to pick on her. But the truth was, she had made plans how to get rid of her. Never would she allow for her to steal her son away. Not that he showed much interest in her. But if he wasn't interested at all, then why bring her to Pemberley?

Naru settled in quite nicely as well. She spent more and more time in the kitchen. Serena didn't really mind. She was happy Naru made friends with Umino. In fact, Serena hoped that one day they might develop more than just friendship.

As for her days, she wondered why no one really sought her company. Everyone seemed to just go about their own ways.

She would see Caroline only for dinner. When Serena had breakfast, Caroline would still be in bed and for lunch she usually would go out.

Lord Endymion was nowhere to be seen. Only twice did she meet him at dinner.

Mr. Knightley on the other hand sought her company very much. They explored the forest together, strolled down the cliff edges and he clearly loved playing with her. But he also got more curious about her. Where was she from? What were her secrets?

"You know, I could tell you a secret about Lord Endymion!" he tried to bargain. And somehow Serena's curiosity got the better of her and eventually she let her guard down.

"Whom can you tell, really? It will be our little secret." she said to herself. "So, Mr. Knightley, you are not allowed to say a single word to anyone!"

As if to show that his lips are sealed, Mr. Knightley put his paw in front of his mouth and this made Serena laugh. It was good to have a friend with whom she could have fun with in this strange place.

That is when she told him about her secret identity as a princess and where she was from. Mr. Knightley was listening very intently. And if a dog could have smiled, he would have had a huge grin on his face, for he knew secrets more related with each other than anyone else could know. But he knew to keep them to himself.

"So, what secret can you tell me about Lord Endymion?" Serena asked Mr. Knightley afterwards.

He looked at her sincerely, "He talks about you."

"What do you mean he talks about me Silly!?" Serena was disappointed. "Of course he would talk about me. Like every master he would tell you what is going on in his mind, and since he has to take care of me now, he's bound to talk about me!"

"That is not what I meant!" If dogs could sweat-drop, Mr. Knightley would have done so right now.

"Well, what do you mean then?" Serena asked.

"He said to me that he was jealous of how much time I am spending with you." Mr. Knightley said honestly, sitting up and awaiting her reaction with a wagging tail.

But the bells struck 5pm and Serena sat up, turning to him with a fading smile on her lips, "Not much of a secret, Mr. Knightley, of course he is jealous. You are his dog, not mine. You should spend time with him, not me!"

That said, she got up and was too busy not getting false hopes to hear Mr. Knightley saying once again, "That is not what I meant."

Serena made a habit of getting back latest by 5pm, so she wouldn't be late for dinner again.

This evening Caroline told her that the next day there would be a seamstress coming to measure her for she would need some decent dresses very soon. Serena knew that Caroline was not doing this out of charity, so she challenged her.

"But Madam, I do not have enough money for new dresses! The fortune I have waiting for me will be unlocked either on the day of my wedding or will go to a charity if I were to touch it before I am married."

"Well then, Serena, see it as a welcome gift. Has not my son said to me that I shall treat you as our guest? Now, this is what we do for guests." Her over friendly tone gave Serena the chills.

The next day, true to Caroline's word, a seamstress came to measure Serena's body, and the following day she received five new dresses. 'More than I really need.' she thought.

But in the meantime, Serena made an incredibly interesting discovery. One day, when she was trying to get outside to have some solitude, and not even Mr. Knightley was around, curiosity got the better of her and she tried to open that hidden door.

To her astonishment it was unlocked. She liked the fact that all the doors were unlocked, but then again, she was afraid of anyone coming in.

When she entered the room, she was greeted by a huge desk, a nice sitting place at the chimney and lots of books. More books than she could ever read. "Woah, Shingo would love that!" she said to herself. 'But what is this room used for? No one is here?'

Just as she finished the sentence in her head, another door, made of books, opened and in came an old man.

"Another hidden door!" Serena exclaimed.

The man looked startled, but regained himself quite quickly and smiled at her, "A visitor! How lovely! It's been a while since I last had visitors. But may I ask: who are you?"

Serena was insecure but somehow felt at ease with the man. So they sat down by the chimney, much to Serena's delight and she told him her story of how her father had gambled her away.

"Oh, poor child! I really am sorry for you!" He tried to console her. "But please, have patience with my son. He has a hard time lately."

"Your son?" Serena was stunned. "Lord Endymion is your son?"

"Yes, my dear. You see, I am Mr. Darcy. There was a time when I was called Lord Darcy, but I have passed on that title to my son and now I am back to plain old Mr. Darcy." he told her.

"But how? And why? I mean, aren't you supposed to be dead?" she asked, still absolutely flabbergasted. "And why should I have patience with him?" 'Oh, that came out the wrong way.'

Mr. Darcy, the handsome father of Lord Endymion, even though in his sixties, tried to explain to her, "You see, my wife Caroline once was a beautiful young woman who captured my heart. She was clever, bright, sensitive and very caring. And I admired that in her. But she was low in title and status. She was born a farmer's daughter. After our marriage she seemed to do quite well with all the wealth and the responsibility it brought along. She married a Lord. That meant she had to adapt to a new society. But sadly, she could not withstand temptation and over the years, she became greedy, careless, cold and all she wanted was money. When she had money, she wanted more money. She didn't even want young men. She was just playing with them. But when they got too attached to her, she pushed them away, heartbroken. So you can imagine that eventually, she ruined me. After she spent all my money, she still wanted more. But I was getting older and older and I became tired of high society. I wanted a peaceful life, studying, maybe travelling a bit, but certainly no parties. So I gave in quite easily and chose this as my exile. I have everything I need. Fresh air, the sea, greenery and now even a beautiful young visitor! Why would I want more?"

Serena blushed when he complimented her on her beauty. She had heard a lot about Lord Darcy and most of it was really nice. To meet him in person did not put an end to the good things she had heard.

"This is a lot to take in. She made the world believe you are dead so your son can inherit his title and therefore your insurance? How cruel is that?" Serena concluded.

"It might sound cruel, but for me it was more of a relief. No, it is cruel to my son." Mr. Darcy became serious.

"Why?" Serena wondered. She thought he was on his mother's side.

"You see, Miss Serena, since my supposed death, my son hasn't been the same. Before, he was a young man, ready to laugh and easy to joke with. He was ready to help when people needed his help, caring for the poor, and he wanted to make the world a better place. He dreamt of having his own loving little family with lots of children. He is a single child and knows the pain of that. So he decided very early that he never wanted to have only one child. But when he saw my marriage with Caroline breaking the way it did, when he saw what his once lovely mother had become, he started to lose faith in the concept of marriage. And the more he became a part of her parties, the more he tried to find a woman who would not just want him for his money. He wants an equal, someone he can discuss with, someone he can have an adventure with but also someone he can honestly care for. So you see, Miss Serena, it is my son who really suffers the most. And it is for this reason why I plead with you to be patient with my son. He is having a hard time with his mother."

Serena rolled her eyes, "Well, I can assure you, he sure has. It is hard to imagine her as a loving and caring person. But clever, she most certainly is. She already made plans to make me look adorable in the hope of selling me off to the highest bidder."

"My son surely won't let that happen." Mr. Darcy tried to brighten her up.

"He does not really seem interested in me. He brought me here because he is right: he is my legal guardian now. And I have spent more time with his dog Mr. Knightley then I have with him."

"Oh, you have met Knightley already. Remarkable dog, isn't he?" Mr. Darcy asked mysteriously. "He is a dog one can tell all his secrets to."

"Indeed." Serena answered.

_Revised: 2020-08-01_


	5. Secrets revealed

_A/N: Hi folks, this is a bigger update then usual. I now have caught up with my beta and have to wait for him. I have also written as far as the book "A Hazard of Hearts" will bring me and am leaving the storyline to solely focus on SM. I'm writing a very difficult chapter at the moment and am quite stuck :-( On top of that, I have to write a fight scene and I'm waiting since a month to get inspired, but it just seems, I can't get past that stage :-( But I promise I won't abandon this story. I'm far too deep into it and I enjoy writing this one way too much!_

_So, for now: Happy reading!_

_**Secrets revealed**_

The day after was the first dinner party Serena was supposed to attend in one of her new dresses. Naru, who helped decide for one, had a bad feeling about that. She didn't like the idea at all.

"Serena, don't touch any alcohol. You will be all by yourself. If you drink any alcohol these men will take advantage of you." she had said.

Serena knew she was right, yet she was determined to show to Lord Endymion and his mother that she is a sophisticated young woman.

She was glad, though, that Lord Endymion awaited her at the staircase. She did feel awkward attending the party without knowing anyone.

"Miss Serena." he greeted her.

"Lord Endymion." she greeted back and was then lost for words.

But count on him to keep the conversation. "You look lovely tonight."

"Thank you. You have done a wonderful job yourself."

And indeed he had. He wore a black tuxedo with a white shirt that suited him perfectly. He offered her a smile along with his hand. Hesitantly, Serena took it, taking in how soft his features were and how warm his hand was on hers.

"I see you have made good friends with my dog Knightley." Lord Endymion tried to sound hurt, but appeared amused.

"Are you jealous?" she asked sincerely yet playfully.

"Maybe." he replied. And with a smirk and a look of mischief, he led them into the dining hall.

"Oh, Endymion, my son. You have brought our new guest along. Wonderful. Let me take care of her!" Caroline greeted them as soon as she spotted them.

Slightly bemused, Lord Endymion responded emotionlessly, "You mean, let you drag her around to be admired by everyone?"

Serena knew what was coming. Caroline's plan to get rid of her.

"Let's see what fate has in store." Lord Endymion mused while letting go of Serena, so his mother could take over.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched them the whole time very carefully. He was curious how Serena would handle the situation and his mother. Maybe he was more curious if she would let herself be trapped by the temptation of getting involved with one of these young and wealthy men.

So, she was dragged around and about from one room to another. One man after another was happy to get to know her and all she saw were gamblers. Gamblers like the kind that killed her dad.

It all became too much for her. She excused herself with the need for fresh air and rushed out of the rooms straight into the hallway. There, finally, she could breathe again. Overlooking the whole entrance area, it gave a slight impression of freedom, as if she would be free to roam about when in fact she knew, she wasn't.

"Miss Serena, are you already fleeing the party?" Lord Endymion came up from behind trying to make a real effort for small talk.

"No I am not, my Lord. You must know, I simply am fleeing from all the persuaders your mother invited tonight in the hope of one offering a good sum of money for me." Serena explained dryly, not hiding her disgust, annoyance and hurt from him. What difference would it make? Why should he not know how she feels? And at the moment she felt very low and vulnerable.

"Don't worry, Miss Serena, I won't let that happen. After all, it is still me who is betrothed to you, isn't it?" He did try to make an effort to reassure her and brighten her mood, hoping to get a reaction out of her. But he was slightly disappointed when he was met with weary and tired eyes.

"Endymion", a lady's voice sounded cheerfully from down the stairs.

When she and the rest of her party came upstairs, Lord Endymion greeted her, "Reika".

Serena was quite astounded to learn that this must be the Lady Reika her cousin Motoki had fallen for.

"Miss Serena," Lord Endymion addressed her, "may I introduce to you to Lady Reika and you already have met my four closest friends."

"Nice to meet you." Serena greeted them all just as politely as they greeted her.

"And I brought a special guest for you." Lord Endymion added. That made Serena curious.

From behind his four friends another well known head peeked at her, "Motoki!" Serena jumped for joy into his arms and gave him the biggest hug she has ever given him, not caring how she looked in front of all these men.

"He will be your dinner partner." Lord Endymion added much to Serena's delight.

That indeed cheered her up. But not only her, Reika seemed happy about the reunion as well.

At dinner, Serena couldn't help but ask Motoki, "Why have you not made your attention known to her?"

"Serena," Motoki sighed, "have you seen how she drools over Lord Endymion? I have no chance at all to be lucky enough to have a second of her attention as long as he is there."

Serena sighed as well with understanding.

Out of the corner of his eyes Lord Endymion watched Serena, rather than the babbling Reika next to him.

He had to admit, she had gotten to him. She somehow made him want to spend time with her rather than with others. Even worse, she made him feel the need to spend all his time with her.

He tried to avoid her by simply not being home. But that didn't work. His thoughts were with her wherever he was. And now he had to watch her giving attention to other men.

He didn't like the fact that his mother wanted to throw her in front of all these men, but at least he then would get to know her character.

But with Motoki, it was different. They knew each other, were already close and he could be an easy way out for her. He did make sure that she was aware of the fact that she was still betrothed to him before Motoki showed up. But did he really want his feelings to develop in that direction?

He really would need to have a talk with his father. He would know what to do.

The next day, Serena was having a walk in the garden while the men were hunting. Sadly, Lord Endymion had taken Mr. Knightley with him, so she was once more alone with herself.

But as it happened, someone else sought her company. Reika.

"Miss Serena!" she shouted from afar.

Serena turned around, startled, and smiled at Reika, "Lady Reika, it is a wonderful day outside isn't it?"

"Yes it is." her voice was emotionless and did not give away the reason she was here. "But I came out to see you not to talk about the weather. Do you mind if I have a seat next to you?"

"No, of course not. You are most welcome." Serene was happy that Lady Reika seemed in need of an honest conversation rather than girly small talk.

"Serena," she began again, deadly serious, "may I ask you a question?"

"Yes of course."

"Tell me, what is really between you and Lord Endymion?" Reika asked in a straightforward manner.

Serena looked at her for a second, "Lady Reika, there is nothing. What do you think there would be? He won me as his prize in a game, his mother tries to sell me off to the first or highest bidding man and I, as far as he himself is concerned, am a burden to him. He legally has to care for me now since I am still underage."

"So you are not in love with him?" Reika asked suspiciously.

"No, I am not." Serena tried to sound amused at the suggestion that she would be, but little did she know that her heart was telling her otherwise.

Later that day, Serena visited Mr. Darcy again. It became a routine for her. She would get up, have breakfast, take a stroll in the park or at the cliff edges, run some chores and in the early afternoon she would go and seek the company of the good natured old man that happened to be Lord Endymions father.

Sometimes she wondered how his son could have turned out so differently.

Lord Endymion still didn't speak much to her. Granted, he wasn't ill tempered around her and he didn't treat her badly. But she could easily see how she would definitely not want to be around him when he lost his temper.

Before she visited Mr. Darcy, she went to the garden and picked some strawberries. She wondered if anyone even knew they would grow there since she never saw anyone else picking them. Well - except for some animals.

Loaded with her strawberries she made her way to Mr. Darcy, only to find him engrossed in a history book. "Mr. Darcy!" she greeted, full of joy to see him.

"Serena, my dear. How lovely of you to come by again and visit me!" Mr. Darcy was sincerely happy as he had grown very fond of Serena. She brought some life back to him, and some good spirited company.

She beamed at him which melted his heart and he wondered how his son could withstand such a beautiful smile.

"Mr. Darcy, I brought these for you!" Proudly, she showed him the strawberries.

She loved looking after the old man. And he loved being looked after, after so many years of being abandoned by his own wife.

"Strawberries! My dear, where did you get them from?" He wondered.

Her grin grew even wider, "From your garden, Sir!" She was so proud that she had found something in the estate he himself did not know of.

"They are still there? The strawberry bushes are still there?" he asked her amazed.

He told her how they were planted years ago and well cared for by Caroline when she was younger, as she loved strawberries just as much as he did. But in time she started to neglect them, and he couldn't keep tending them after he "died". He had to be very careful not to be seen by anyone.

Serena was curious what he was reading about. So he showed her, "It's a story about a long past history, many people do not know about, and the few who know about it think it's a fairytale. Do you believe in fairytales, Serena?"

This question made her feel sad, as it reminded her of her childhood and her happy times on the moon.

"I used to think that good will always prevail. I suppose I still do. But I don't know if I really believe it anymore? It is hard for me to believe, for I have lost a great deal."

At this revelation, Mr. Darcy was taken aback. He could feel the change of air around her.

He suddenly pictured her as a thousand year old being with the wisdom of the universe inside of her. In her voice, he could hear the pain of a whole planet being destroyed and he would not have known he was talking to a fourteen year old girl if he wouldn't have known her before.

"So, what fairytale is this one, then?" Serena broke through his thoughts, trying to lighten up the mood again, as she did not want to be stuck in past memories while visiting Mr. Darcy. She intended to enjoy every second of her visit.

"Oh, this…" Mr. Darcy snapped back to reality. "This is a story of a kingdom on the moon!" he said proudly. For a second Serena stopped breathing. And if Mr. Darcy would have been close enough to her, he would have heard her heart skipping and then beating wildly.

But as it was, he was much too focused on the story and its mystery, for he himself had a personal reason to find out more about the history of the fairytale.

"The story says that there once was a kingdom on the moon. And this kingdom watched over the people on Earth, and guided them softly and silently, helping where help was needed and yet always making sure they would not interfere with anything. It talks about a beautiful gentle queen, ruling this kingdom on the moon, her wisdom reaching to the far ends of the universe, her power stronger than anyone could imagine. Back then, it is said, the moon was shining much brighter then it does today. It is said, that one day, the moon suddenly stopped glowing."

He paused and looked at Serena, not really taking in her features, just wanting to make sure, she still was attentive to his babbling. He wasn't used to someone listening to him when he was talking about history.

Pleased that she was still looking at him and appeared deeply attentive, he carried on, "You see, I want to find out what happened, because at the same time, the moon kingdom stopped guiding Earth. But it is said that there was a man with a royal soul who understood the ways of the moon better than anyone else, and he was in love with the moon."

Mr. Darcy stopped for a second, chuckled and went on, "Well, especially with the daughter of the Queen, Princess Serenity. It is said that through the moon's guidance, he became one with the Earth, exploring the power of the planet. In doing so, the earth granted him a wish from his heart to visit the moon. But he would not have been able to live on the moon, so the Earth only let him travel in spirit. That was when he saw Princess Serenity and her ways. It inspired him so much that he changed his own ways in time. He became a very loving and caring person, wanting to become worthy to one day meet Princess Serenity in person. But one day, he suddenly was in tears and would not be consoled, so grief stricken he was. He would talk about the destruction of the moon kingdom and lock himself in his garden, the very place where he so often watched the moon from. That was the last time he was seen. He has not been seen since."

Serena stared at him in shock, not able to process what she had just heard. But Mr. Darcy took it as a sign of her attention, so he went on. "His name was Prince Endymion. Well, I hope your opinion of me will not change for the worse, but this story fascinated me since I was a little boy. I suppose my obsession with it is being shown in having named my son after Prince Endymion."

Mr. Darcy chuckled again, when he thought about how silly this actually must have sounded to her. But every man has a silly weakness in life.

"You see, Serena, I am a man of history. Naturally, I want to know what really happened. A passion not many people share with me."

But Serena could not move, nor talk. It was even hard for her to breathe. In fact, her breathing became so hard that she sounded like she was about to die any second. This was when Mr. Darcy realised that her reaction was not out of attention, but something else.

"Serena, my child, are you not feeling well?"

But Serena couldn't answer. She put her hand in front of her mouth as she finally realised that this was the first time she had a clue about what had happened! She didn't know that the Earth knew about the moon. There was a lot she didn't know about, she was aware of that. She was only fourteen years old and had a lot of training in front of her. Normally that training could have been done by the silver crystal itself - if she were able to use it. But she could not yet complete her training, as she would give away her hiding place.

But there actually was a record of the moon kingdom on Earth. There were actually people on Earth who knew about the moon kingdom. This story talked about her mother.

Tears formed in Serena's eyes and she couldn't contain her anguish anymore. She started to sob and cry and was so closed in her own world, that she did not realise the big comforting hug she was receiving from Mr. Darcy.

He really cared for her. But he had to admit that right now he did not understand what was going on.

"Serena, what is wrong?" He looked at her with a gentle face and eyes telling her that she did not have to be afraid.

And after hearing that story from a man she came to trust, she could not hold back any longer.

"Mr. Darcy, there is something about me I haven't told you and I think you deserve to know."

Mr. Darcy did not know what she meant and what that had to do with the story, so she carried on. "Mr. Darcy, I am Princess Serenity."

At this it was Mr. Darcy who looked startled. So she held out her hands for him to take and curiously he took them.

When he touched her hand, the world around them exploded. They found themselves in Serena's memories reliving part of her time on the moon. And this is how she showed him who she really was and how she remembered the moon kingdom.

When Mr. Darcy found himself and Serena back in his study he stared at her. He was flabbergasted.

"Oh my!" was all he could exclaim before he began laughing like he has never laughed before. But it was obvious to everyone it was a happy laugh. He suddenly felt like embracing the whole world.

For years and years he searched for all the pieces of the puzzle and now life would let him meet Princess Serenity itself. How awesome that was!

Serena felt quite relieved as well. She finally wasn't alone anymore. Her secret was out. Not for the whole world to see, but just enough for her to talk about it with someone. A human being - not just a dog.

She didn't show everything to Mr. Darcy, and certainly not to the extent of her power. There was too much that she herself had to learn first, and she was still on guard.

When everything sank in, Mr. Darcy's laughter died down and he realised the pain of Serena. What she had lost, what she went through, her loneliness

"Oh, Serena, my child. I am so sorry!" he said full of emotion.

Serena's sobbing died down slowly and they started to talk about her past, about the moon kingdom. Serena was glad to learn something new about that time. She told him how she still didn't know who attacked that day, but that she was keen on finding out.

Mr. Darcy was sad when he learned that Serena was the only survivor.

But what was new for Serena was the fact that she not just travelled to Earth, but through time as well. As far as she was concerned, she thought she'd just gone to Earth. But apparently she travelled almost a thousand years into the future as well.

Mr. Darcy listened very interestingly and took the whole matter very seriously.

"Serena, is there anything I can do to make you feel more comfortable? You already went through so much at your young age."

"Thank you, Mr. Darcy. Your hospitality already makes me feel better!"

They kept on chatting until the moment Serena was reminded of having to be on time for dinner when the clock struck 5pm.

_Revised: 2020-08-01_


	6. Dinner Party

_AN: I know, it has been a while since my last update and I am very happy about you who keep being faithful to this story. I actually have more finished now and this is only a short update due to me being excited about my finished parts and not really having the time at the moment to upload everything. But I wanted to let you folks know that I indeed have not abandoned this story._

_Happy reading :)_

**_Dinner party_**

As she was changing and preparing for dinner, Serena was deep in thought about what she heard. There was a silent and invisible visitor to the moon. Was he behind the attack? But the story said, he was in love with her. But how could he be in love with her, when they never met? And why did he disappear on the day of the attack? All this didn't make any sense. But it was new information anyway. And for the first time something she could work with. That brought quite some excitement to her.

When she came down the stairs Lord Endymion waited again for her.

"I see, you are on time. My mother will be pleased." he commented dryly.

As if she would care for what pleases his mother right now. It was a long time since she found it so hard to keep up her charade and not let her guard down.

"Yes, I had a very good day, thank you. I hope yours was nice too." Serena answered his unspoken question.

It did catch him slightly off guard.

"I'm sorry, Miss Serena, I am indeed forgetting my manners." he retorted playfully. But it was a tough day for him, and he had to think about it a lot.

He was finding himself thinking more and more about Serena when he needed to focus more on his family business. His mother was spending far too much money with her lavish lifestyle, and he needed to find out how to raise all this money. He was annoyed that she would bring them all to the brink of ruin and turn them into criminals.

Wasn't it enough that his father faked his death so she could unlock his inheritance?

"You are forgiven, my Lord." Serena said softly. Though she felt his coldness, she couldn't tell if it was directed at her or if he was generally in a cold mood.

"How is Mr. Knightley?" she enquired, hoping to make some small talk.

"Of course you would enquire about him." Lord Endymion said with a little, almost inaudible sigh.

"Knightley is doing fine. He is tired. Will you share with me your experiences today?"

Lord Endymion didn't really want to talk about his day, how his friends kept nagging him about Serena and how he came to the conclusion that she had really found her way into his heart. He didn't want to fall for her now. Yet, he couldn't help it.

She looked exactly like the woman he was always seeing in his dreams. This mysterious princess he was watching every night, dancing away, oblivious to him watching her. The fact that his friends interpreted fate into it didn't help. So he wanted to stay away from her.

But he couldn't.

He felt drawn to her, physically and what was worse, emotionally.

Serena's voice broke through to him, gentle and soft, sounding like music in his ears. So different from his mother's harsh and stern voice. Serena had so much variety in how she spoke. Yes, she could be stern and harsh, but only if she felt the need for it.

"Lord Endymion?" he heard.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Miss Serena. I was lost in my own little world." he apologised and kicked himself for not listening to her.

"You do realise, that makes your enquiry after my day seem like an obligation?" There it was, this stern and harsh voice he was thinking about.

"I really am sorry, Miss Serena. Please, do tell me again. I promise I will listen this time because I really am keen to know how your day was!" It was true. He wanted to hear that soft and gentle voice again. It was like balm on his wounded soul, a soul longing for love in his life, while living in a hostile environment.

"I said, I had a wonderful day. I was having a stroll outside, picking strawberries in the garden and … I have done some research." she finished.

"Research? What did you research for?" he was curious, seriously curious. Any other lady and he would have laughed it off, expecting something like new fashion. But with Serena he already understood, she had a deeper understanding of things than many gave her credit for.

"Oh, just some history. Nothing that would interest you, really." she answered, not really giving away that she researched her kingdoms story from sources of earthen history.

Lord Endymion was more curious now, but left it at that as they arrived at the dining room.

On this night he had arranged for his friend Zoicite to be her dining partner. He wanted him to get to know her better so he could tell him what he thought. But his mother destroyed these plans when she seated Serena next to Lord Collins, insisting that Serena cannot sit anywhere else, and the mood of Lord Endymion dropped further. Of course Reika made sure that she would be seated next to him. And since Caroline knew that her son was not interested in Reika anymore than simply playing with her, she happily granted her wish.

The night was a nightmare for Serena. Lord Collins was the most boring man she had met in the last few years.

For a change, he was not as old as the usual men were that Caroline would seat her next to. But he still didn't help her in staying awake. His voice was monotonous and his topics were boring.

When the time for dancing arrived, he even proved to be a terrible dancer and managed to step onto Serena's feet three times within the first minute.

Demotivated, Serena suggested they sit down again. When Lord Collins was about to get them a drink, Serena wanted to sneak away, but was stopped by Caroline at the door, "What do you think you are doing, Serena?"

"Excuse me please, Madam, but I just need some fresh air." she defended herself.

"But not without your dinner partner, I hope!" Caroline made it very clear that she will not have a No for an answer. Her grip on Serena tightened and it actually hurt her.

"You're hurting me! Let me go!" she cried. After everything she learned today she felt quite vulnerable.

"He paid good money to have you as his dinner partner tonight. I don't think you have enough money to pay your living here. So I expect you to play along and be a good girl tonight!" Her eyes grew dark and threatening, and Serena actually felt afraid of her.

Serena looked back into the room, suppressed tears in her eyes.

"Is there a problem?" Lord Endymion suddenly appeared.

His mother smiled at him with a fake smile and said in a fake friendly tone, "No, not at all, my son. Serena and I were just trying to solve a misunderstanding. Am I right, my dear?"

The way she looked at Serena told her to play along or expect much worse, so she played along, and since she was unable to say anything just nodded.

"Now, it is time to return to the party." Caroline ordered both Serena and her son.

While Serena was listening to more boring things from Lord Collins, she realised what Caroline had said earlier. She was right, Serena wouldn't have enough money to pay for her own living.

And Caroline was starting to make her work for it, not exactly the work she would have preferred. Serena understood the dangerous situation she was in. She was sure Caroline would even sell her body to make money.

Today she was dinner partner to a punter, as she thought of Lord Collins. What would come next? This was certainly a direction Serena did not want to go.

She had to find a solution.

And on top of that, she started to miss Shingo and Ikuko. It had been some weeks since she had seen them last. She didn't even see Motoki as often anymore.

But the next day held a surprise for Serena.


	7. I don't really know him

_**I don't really know him**_

There was a horse race going on. One on which not just Lord Endymion would try his luck, but also her cousin Motoki.

Standing on the side with Reika, she had to admit, she was enjoying herself.

"Oh, Serena!" Reika started, when Lord Endymion saddled his horse. "Isn't he just gorgeous!"

Serena laughed, "I take it, Lady Reika, you are not talking about the horse, but it's rider."

Reika looked at her shocked, "Of course, Serena! Whom would I be talking about other than my Lord Endymion? He has such passion and he can be so fierce and brutal. And he is the best rider in the world!"

Serena sighed, knowing how devastated her cousin will be when he learns that still all her thoughts are for Lord Endymion.

"Do you not have to admit, Lady Reika, that my cousin, Motoki, is a fine rider himself?" she pressed. She had to push Reika a little, just to see her reaction.

Reika turned to Serena, "Serena, Lord Endymion is not just a fine rider, he is the best! And Motoki lacks the passion!"

Serena sighed again. "Believe me, my cousin can be quite passionate once his walls have broken down. And don't you think he is quite good looking?"

"Not as good looking as my Lord Endymion." Reika concluded. "But, Serena, if you fancy your cousin so much, why do you not marry him?"

"Because I don't love him." said Serena bluntly.

"And do you think you love my master?" a well known voice broke through to Serena.

"Mr. Knightley", Serena exclaimed, hugging the dog.

"Mister Knightley?" Reika asked, "His name is simply Knightley."

"But he prefers Mister Knightley." Serena stated as a matter of fact.

At that Reika turned to her with a question in her face, "And how would you know that?"

"Well," Serena shrugged, trying to figure out what to say, "I just know."

"You are weird, Serena." Reika concluded and turned her attention back to Lord Endymion.

Serena bent down and talked to Mr. Knightley, "What do you think, Mr. Knightley? Would my cousin Motoki not make a good match for Lady Reika?"

"Poor Motoki", Mr. Knightley woofed. It was obvious that he did not like Reika.

Petting his back, she turned her attention back to the race as well.

Unknown to her, this conversation was overheard by someone who was quite pleased to learn that Serena did not love her cousin and that she tried to bring Reika closer to him.

When evening came, the dinner guests came with it. But this time, Serena would be very surprised.

And to her astonishment, her cousin was there and his dinner companion was none other than Lady Reika, though she dreaded the thought of her own dinner companion.

But she should be surprised once more for Lord Endymion's mother did not get her way this night. Tonight, Lord Endymion made sure that it was Zoicite who was her dinner companion.

And Serena really enjoyed herself. She found Zoicite very entertaining, especially since he was a deep thinker and had more to talk about than just gambling.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw her cousin and Lady Reika. When Zoicite followed her gaze, he asked her what she thought.

"Oh, Sir, I am absolutely delighted to see that Lady Reika seems to give my cousin Motoki a chance. I would have hated to see him rejected twice within such a short amount of time."

"Twice? What do you mean?" Zoicite asked, interested.

So she told him how Motoki offered marriage to her in order to get out of her situation after her father's death.

"I am quite impressed, Miss Serena. Not many young women would have been as brave as you have been and rejected the offer of marriage in your situation." He complimented.

"Oh, believe me, Sir, I sometimes wonder if I've done the right thing. It would have been an easy way out and it would have cost my cousin his happiness. But when Reika was only going on about Lord Endymion I wondered if I really have done my cousin a favour. So you can understand why I am now even more pleased to see that Lady Reika seems to give my cousin a real chance."

Zoicite had to admit that Reika was quite obsessed with Lord Endymion. "Do you think he wants her?" He wanted to see Serena's reaction.

"I do not know of the affairs of Lord Endymion's heart." Serena answered honestly. "His reputation is quite alarming for any woman who seeks a faithful husband and he keeps her close. Whether he is interested in her or her body, I do not know."

Zoicite smiled at her wits. He liked her. She was clever and had a good humor. She knew how to answer a question. Yet he was a bit distraught that she would think that badly about him. "Don't you think you are a bit condemning, Miss Serena?"

"Sir, I am far from condemning him. But I do know very little about him myself. That is why at the moment I have to rely on other people's opinion about him, until he seeks to show himself to me."

To say that Zoicite was impressed was an understatement. He really was thinking now that it was fate that brought Serena in Lord Endymion's life. She would be just the person he needs, he thought. She was not just clever and bright, but also fair in her judgement and soft in her ways. Her heart was at the right spot and he could feel that she would be a support to him, if, like she said, he would choose to open up to her.

"Miss Serena, you do know I am a friend of Lord Endymion's, so I do hope that you do take my opinion into account as well. But I can promise you one thing. Whichever woman will be fortunate enough to become his wife, he will be a faithful husband to."

The seriousness and urgency in Zoicite's voice made Serena laugh.

"Sir, you do not have to persuade me, but rather his wife to be! He might be betrothed to me by gambling luck, but I'm certain he does not feel so in his heart."

"What makes you think so?" Zoicite wondered.

"Do you love someone, Zoicite?" Serena asked.

"Well, I love my sister, I suppose." he answered, not knowing what point she is getting to.

"Do you want to spend time with her?"

"Yes, of course!"

"Would you want to spend time with her, if you would not love her?"

"No, I would not." Zoicite understood Serena's thoughts. "So you think, Lord Endymion does not care for you because he does not spend more time with you?"

"In fact, the only time he spends with me is when he is accompanying me to this very room. To this day we rarely have spoken a word to each other. As he noticed once, I spent much more time with his dog Mr. Knightley." Serena said as a matter of fact and yet slightly amused about the fact how fond she was of Mr. Knightley.

Zoicite could not answer her and chose to change the topic, "Miss Serena, would you care for a dance?"

"Sir, while I was a passionate dancer back home, I have grown slightly weary of dancing in this society. I am afraid my feet would not be happy about any more men stumbling upon them." Serena felt comfortable enough with Zoicite to be her joking self and he had to admit that he quite enjoyed her wits.

"May I receive the chance to prove my own dancing skills to you?"

As Serena could see that he was quite excited about the idea of a dance, she gave in and did not regret it. Zoicite was indeed a very good dancer and leader. They flew across the dancefloor, both having a wonderful time.

Serena was quite pleased to see ever so often that her cousin and Reika seemed to have a wonderful time too. Only she did not spot Lord Endymion. But then again, neither did she spot his mother.

Unknown to them, Lord Endymion and his mother had quite a heated discussion going on.

"Mother, what do you think you are doing? Did you think I would not get to know of you selling Miss Serena off for the evenings?" It was clear that Lord Endymion was quite angry with his mother and he did not hide it.

"I don't know what your problem is, my son? Do not tell me, you are interested in her!" If so, she would have to do something about it.

But Lord Endymion knew not to let his mother know his feelings. "This is not about how I feel about Miss Serena. This is about the fact that you are selling off a child that is under my care! I am liable for what happens to her!"

"Well, then marry her off!" Simple solution.

"Mother! Your criminal activity is going way too far!" he warned her.

"And what do you want me to do? Stop? Where would I get all the money from? No, my son, I need Serena as an income! And you won't stop me!" she challenged.

"Yes, I will! There will be no more money for you and every company you deal with will be told not to list you as a customer anymore." Simple solution. Again.  
"Oh no! You wouldn't!" she couldn't believe it. How dare he! "If you do that, I will tell the world that you are a trickster! If you ruin me, you ruin yourself!" This always worked!

"Don't you dare play that card on me. There will come a day, and it is very close, where this card will no longer work. I am close to going to the police myself!" He shot back. If he would take away the power she had over him, she could no longer control him.

"So, I tell you one last time, mother, do not ever again sell Miss Serena off to one of your customers!" And with that he stormed away leaving a very upset and angry mother behind.

In her irritation and frustration she pulled out a letter for yet another huge sum for Serena. Hastily she wrote back, inviting the person in question to the dinner party the day after.

To Lord Endymions frustration, he had to leave Pemberley the next morning for an urgent call to business. Little did he know that his mother might be involved. So he left two of his closest friends behind, to look after Serena.

"But be discreet. I do not wish my mother to learn of your presence here." Lord Endymion ordered Zoicite and Kunzite.

And so they watched Serena for the day. Or at least they tried to. There was one time, when they lost track of her and panicked. She suddenly disappeared. But later the day, they found her again. The relief was bigger than the curiosity where she went.

To their amazement they also found her wandering off to the kitchen. They wondered if she was hungry, only to find her having a good laugh with the chef and her maid Naru.

Serena was quite pleased with the progress the relationship between Naru and Umino was progressing. Both of them were not yet ready to face the consequences of making their relationship known. They wanted to wait and see what happened first. Somehow, everyone could feel it lingering in the air. Something was about to happen.

Her visit to Mr. Darcy was as lovely as it could be. She absolutely adored that old man. And it still was so good to talk openly and freely of the moon kingdom. Mr. Darcy still thought it the best thing in his life, to have found the moon princess. But he also was aware that he soon would have to reveal a secret of his very self.

But first, he wanted to know, "Have you gotten to know my son a bit better?"

That change of subject startled Serena. "I am afraid he is still avoiding me. What I have learned though is that his friends value him very much."

"Yes, they do." he agreed. "But what about you? Do you value my son?" Mr. Darcy looked intently at Serena.

"I don't know. I barely know him. Despite his reputation, I think he tries to make an effort in being nice to me. But I still would not say that I know him." Serena was honest with him.

"I see." he mused. "Do you still have patience left for him?"

Serena laughed at that. "Mr. Darcy, you seem to be quite frankly trying to bring your son and me closer together. I do fear you might fancy your son getting to know the Princess Serenity in place of Prince Endymion" Serena joked. Yet there was an underlying tone of a question. She could feel there was something more to Mr. Darcy's need to keep her mind open for his son.

Mr. Darcy laughed, "You caught me in flagranti, Miss Serena. I indeed hope to keep your mind open to my son."

"May I be told why?" she wondered.

Mr. Darcy looked at her amused, "Miss Serena, you are the best thing that happened to my son in the last years. Whenever we meet he talks about you more and more and ever more fondly. You are a wonderful, sweet and charming person and the beauty of it is that you don't even realise that yourself."

Serena was really touched by his words. She could feel them coming from the bottom of his heart.

"And, how, do you think, I would be able to have your lovely company around me, if you were to wander off to another man? All that would be left of you for me is my son's words about you. My dear child, please do not condemn me to this fate!" Mr. Darcy tried to sound dramatic, but he could not hide his amusement.

When dinner time finally arrived once more, there was no Lord Endymion waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs.

'He must be out today, then', Serena thought.

She had to admit to herself; she was looking forward to seeing him. Not seeing him at least for these few minutes brought her spirit down for she knew, neither would he be at dinner itself.

That truly sent some shivers down her spine. She was all alone with his mother.

Lately she discovered that she indeed felt safe with Lord Endymion around. He has never taken any advantage of her, nor has he forced her into meeting any men. If anything, he protected her from his mother and her men.

She even felt comfortable around his close friends, especially Zoicite. But with Lord Endymion gone, so would be his close friends. She would be alone. Mr. Knightley would not be allowed into the dining room and Mr. Darcy would most certainly not appear.

And right she was. This evening she was all on her own - with Caroline.


End file.
